Remy closed the door behind Erin and scrutinized him once more. In the dimly lit hallway, he hadn’t gotten the full effect of the ridiculousness of the boy’s “suit” but here in the spacious living room, he could see every gaudy detail.

“Please, sit,” he said, more commanding than he’d intended. Despite his years as a commercial pilot, he’d spent more time as a Captain in the Navy and it had done little for his patience or social skills.

“Can I get you something to drink?” he asked more out of obligation than a real concern. “I just started a kettle of tea. Or I can get you some coffee if you prefer.”

“Tea is fine.” Remy watched Erin seat himself on the edge of the sofa. He fluffed the pillows closest to him and ran his thin fingers over the heavy stitch embroidery. One thought occurred to Remy as he eyed the younger man inspecting his French imported ceramic tea set:

He looks positively outrageous sitting in my living room.

Plaid, against satin creme. Egg yolk yellow, against the gold lined duvet, and the grocery store plant he’d gifted next to the polished bronze candlesticks on the coffee table.

Erin crossed his long legs and bowed his back as he picked up the art book on Remy’s coffee table. He flipped through the pictures for several minutes before he likely grew bored, and placed it back on the counter.

The kettle whistled and Remy took his time preparing the tea. He was in no rush to interview anyone, but this man — if he was even old enough to be considered —was offensive in a way Remy couldn’t explain.

“How do you take it?” he asked, balancing the tea service tray as he walked.

“Lots of sugar and cream!” Erin scooted to the edge of the sofa to help him unload the tray.

“Say when.” Remy poured the cream steadily until Erin cheerily piped out “when”. After serving Erin his tea he prepared his own and sat back in his chair to examine Erin over the rim of his cup.

By the look of him, he was definitely an Omega. Even if one ignored the blond hair framing his sweet face or doughy green eyes shining brightly, one couldn’t ignore the vacant expression Erin wore.

Or his delicately slim frame, spreading out around his hips.

Or how gracefully he sat, legs crossed demurely as if to preserve his innocence.

Or those titillating lips, kissing the rim of his cup.

Titillating? Remy took a long sip of his tea. Certainly, Erin was attractive in the traditional sense, but titillating? In what way? Remy traced the line of Erin’s body, taking his time to observe every feature. He was young —much too young, to be considered ‘titillating’—but Remy could concede that he was indeed supple, and personal preferences notwithstanding, beautiful.

“This tea is very delicious!” Erin suddenly exclaimed, halting Remy’s train of thought.

“Is it peppermint?”

“Yes.”

“I see.” Erin’s eyes darted around the room, clearly searching for a new topic of conversation. He was a tiny rabbit looking for a hole to escape in. When he failed to find one, he rebounded to the tea.

“I personally prefer lemon,” he told Remy. “But of course, chamomile is good before bed. And green tea is—”

“Does silence offend you, Mr. Holloway?” Remy suddenly asked.

“I’m sorry?” Erin blanched.

“Silence, Mr. Holloway. Does it offend you?”

“Umm...no?” As he answered his lips pouted slightly.

“You seem unsure.”

“I am, a bit, sir. Of the question.”

Remy didn’t reply right away, curious to see if Erin really could control his incessant talking for longer than five seconds. “Annalee and I live a very quiet life, Mr. Holloway. We spend our afternoons generally reading or watching the television. I work a great deal, you see. And when I am home, I thoroughly enjoy my peace and quiet.” The teacup clinked gently when he sat it down. “So, you see, it is very important to me that whomever I choose for this position is respectful of that lifestyle.”

“I understand.” Erin nodded firmly and sat up a little straighter. For a moment, Remy thought he might have gotten through to Erin, until he said, “although, I’m surprised you’re able to get any peace and quiet with a five-year-old.”

“Beg pardon?” Remy’s gaze hardened.

“With Annalee, I mean,” Erin explained. “When I taught at the preschool, they were never quiet!” Remy caught the sight of Erin’s fangs when he giggled. “They were always talking, or laughing, or being silly!”

“Well I suppose everyone has their own standards,” Remy said, not so slyly alluding to Erin’s earlier behavior. “Fortunately, Annalee is a very mature young lady.”

“Certainly. But I’m sure even she acts silly once in a while.”

“Occasionally, yes,” Remy asserted.

“Only occasionally? How sad.” Remy shifted uncomfortably in his seat at the pity in Erin’s eyes. Strange, given that Annalee sat in the lap of wealth and luxury. The child wanted for nothing. If it was in Remy’s power to buy it for her, he didn’t hesitate.

“So, you worked at a preschool?” Remy asked, forgoing the niceties of small talk. “For how long, and where?” He clicked his pen and grabbed the legal pad laying on the coffee table. All things considered, he was more than qualified for the position. He worked at several preschools and majored in elementary education at CUNY.

“And when did you graduate?” Remy asked him still scribbling.

“I haven’t.”

The pen stopped. Remy’s eye’s darted up from the legal pad and he quirked his brow.

“I had to take a break from school due to some... personal issues.” For a moment Remy thought saw the shadow of a grimace, but it flitted away in the next second. “Part of the reason I applied for this job is that I plan to go back to school soon.”

“Seeing as you responded to the job post, I trust you are aware that I am a pilot.”

“I am!” Erin exclaimed. “I’ve never actually met a pilot. It must be exciting flying all over the world and visiting new places.”

“Not as exciting as one would imagine.” The truth of it was that Remy found commercial flying dreadfully boring. It wasn’t that he missed the danger of fighter jets, but being confined in a box for hours at a time, holding his pee and forcing himself to make small talk, was a different kind of torture.

As for the layovers, there was once a time when discovering new places and things excited him. Remy could vividly remember the slow gondola rides under the full moons of Italy. Scuba diving with her in the blue-green seas in the Bahamas. Baking in the desert sun as they made their trek to the Pyramids of Giza. Making love to her over the smooth white sand in Madrid. Kissing her seemingly above the world at the Eiffel Tower. Marrying her next to the rushing falls of Niagara.

I promised to show her world...

“In any case.” Remy ignored the growing pang in his gut. “I’ll be gone for days, sometimes weeks at a time. The job requires not only looking after Annalee, but cooking and light cleaning between the maids visits as well.”

“I’m well aware.” Erin nodded.

“And yet you’re certain you’ll be able to handle all of that and attend Uni.”

“I only have one semester left, so it won’t be difficult to schedule my classes around your daughter’s school schedule. As for the workload,” his lips quirked into a smirk, “I have a plethora of experience working with children, and I know how to manage my time well. Had it not been for the personal reasons I mentioned, I would have graduated by now.”

Remy studied him but found none of the flightiness he’d exhibited earlier. It seemed that Erin did, in fact, take his work seriously, and judging by his sharp eyes and pursed lips, he intended to make this work. It was rare to find a young person, let alone an Omega, who had a strong work ethic. And despite his initial impression of Erin, the young man seemed well rounded enough. However, a truth remained between them. An obstacle that could not be ignored.

“I just have one more question.’ Remy folded the tips of his fingers together and asked, “aren’t you a little young to be on your own?”